How clever garnishes and high-impact finishes elevate the modern beverage menu

Flavor-driven cocktail trends for maximum menu impact

Taking guests back in time with reimagined 1980s cocktails

Classic cocktails meet the bubbly personality of hard seltzer

To-go cocktails require a thoughtful approach

Eastern Med flavors add intrigue to beverage menus

Look to fruit to sweeten, brighten, lighten and enhance your beverage program

Grape brandy, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, rosé, dehydrated lemon slice, mint-skewered raspberry

Bourbon, Cotton & Reed Allspice Dram, egg white, citrus, tea powder

Brixton Mash Destroyer, Bruto Americano, sweet vermouth

Mellow Yellow Jell-o Shots with tequila, limoncello, lemon-lime cordial, gelatin

Vodka, lime juice, simple syurp, Portell Cava, Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto

Smoke Break with Nikka Coffey grain whisky, cream sherry, Carpano Antica, black cherry and coffee bitters

Pratsch rosé, Dolin Blanc, lime juice, mint simple syrup, Social Pink Grapefruit Ginger sparkling wine

Empress Indigo Gin, lime juice, rosemary syrup, egg white, wildflowers

Clarified milk punch, lemon, Blue Majik pineapple juice, blue algae, Bacardi 4-Year, cinnamon bark cordial

Through the Woods with Koval Cranberry Gin, Matchless Coffee Soda, ginger, evergreen

A5 Negroni made with Japanese whisky, Wagyu fat, Campari, sweet vermouth, blood orange juice

To identify what is being done to drive appeal and sales of cocktails at trend-forward concepts, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits set out on its second-annual fact-finding tour. The standout discovery this year is the creative and sophisticated use of high-impact ingredients that introduce unique profiles to classic cocktails. Based on our research, here are four key opportunities in the cocktail category.

Riviera 31 offers a Fighter Weapon School aka top gun: Bulleit bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice, passionfruit juice

The Whistler offers its Golden Fleece: Kikusui Funaguchi sake, preserved Meyer lemon, honey, soda